Related services help children with disabilities benefit from their special education by providing extra help and support in needed areas, such as speaking or moving. Related services can include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

·         speech-language pathology and audiology services

·         interpreting services

·         psychological services

·         physical and occupational therapy

·         recreation, including therapeutic recreation

·         early identification and assessment of disabilities in children

·         counseling services, including rehabilitation counseling

·         orientation and mobility services

·         medical services for diagnostic or evaluation purposes

·         school health services and school nurse services

·         social work services in schools

·         parent counseling and training

Beginning with Evaluation

IDEA requires that a child be assessed in all areas related to his or her suspected disability. This evaluation must be sufficiently comprehensive so as to identify all of the child's special education and related services needs, whether or not those needs are commonly linked to the disability category in which he or she has been classified.

Determining What Related Services a Student Needs

It is the IEP team’s responsibility to review all of the evaluation information, to identify any related services the child needs, and to include them in the IEP. Goals are written for a related service just as they are for other special education services. The IEP must also specify with respect to each service:

o    when the service will begin;

o    how often it will be provided and for what amount of time; and

o    where it will be provided. [§300.320(a)(7)]

Each child with a disability may not require all of the related services listed above. Furthermore, the list of related services is not exhaustive and may include other developmental, corrective, or supportive services if they are required to assist a child with a disability to benefit from special education. Examples include artistic and cultural programs, art, music, and dance therapy.